Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 17, 1990 TAG: 9003172404
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Crotty scored 28 points and played a flawless floor game in leading Virginia past Notre Dame 75-67 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Cavaliers (20-11) who reached the 20-victory level for the ninth time in coach Terry Holland's 16-year tenure, will meet Syracuse, a 70-48 winner over Coppin State, at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Notre Dame (16-13) put the heat on UVa by shooting 62.5 percent (20-of-32) in the second half, but the Cavaliers countered every shot and added a new wrinkle - they made their free throws.
Virginia made 18 of 22 free throws in the final 2:56, including five one-and-ones by Crotty. Notre Dame scored 14 points in the final 1:06, but could cut an 11-point deficit only to eight.
Crotty, who dazzled the crowd with his first-half drives, may have hit his biggest basket with 9:06 remaining, after Notre Dame had made nine of 11 shots in closing to 44-41.
Crotty fired in a 3-pointer; then, Kenny Turner made a 3-pointer and Crotty followed with a three-point play. Notre Dame had three baskets of its own during that stretch, but found itself trailing 53-47.
The first half belonged to Crotty, who scored 12 points without making a shot longer than 10 feet. Crotty scored three times on drives, twice on pull-up jumpers in the lane and once on a baseline jumper.
The Cavaliers, whose fans made more noise than they usually do in Charlottesville, jumped to an 8-2 lead and led by 10 on two occasions, the last being 28-18 after a twisting Crotty drive at the halftime buzzer.
Crotty subsequently missed a free throw, the only free throw attempted by either team. When the half ended, both teams had five personal fouls.
Notre Dame entered the game ranked third in Division I in rebounding margin at 8.9, but the Cavaliers dominated in the first half, outrebounding the Irish 18-8. Virginia outrebounded the Irish 33-22 for the game.
After falling behind 20-10, Notre Dame switched from man-to-man with 6:09 remaining in the half and reduced the margin to 22-16 while holding Virginia scoreless for four possessions.
Bryant Stith ended the drought with a jumper in the lane and, after a Keith Robinson layup following a UVa defensive breakdown, the Cavaliers scored the last four points of the half.
Plagued by poor shooting in recent games, Virginia had to be pleased by a 14-of-30 first half. Notre Dame was 9-of-19, but its top three scorers - Robinson, Ellis and Joe Fredrick - combined for only four points.
by CNB